Commentary, nature, Photography

Of Lions, Lambs and Leap Years

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An uncommon intersection is occurring today: a leap year, a lion-like in-coming March and, I hope, an out-going lamb-like March.

The last time we had a February 29 was in 2020, and I hope there isn’t a repeat of what was shortly to follow, of what had actually already started. I was still in the Northwest Territories then, and I took this picture of children having immense fun playing on a giant pile of snow that had been pushed up by road-clearing vehicles. None of us knew it then, but they were coming up to having their fun seriously curtailed. March was arriving like a lamb, but Covid’s hobnailed boots were about to teach us a thing or two. Fortunately however, we are past that.

Herewith are some lion-like March starts:

NWT: cleaning up after a huge early March storm in 2022.
NWT: an icicle, my heavy-duty truck plug-in cord and another early March clean-up, 2021.
Penticton: a leaden, windy, chilly lion-like late February sky, 2024.

Some lamb-like March departures – I like the lambs more, don’t you?

Jasper National Park: April 2, 2023.
NWT: an April 1 blue sky, 2022.
NWT: under a bright blue April 2 sky in 2021.

And last but not least:

Vancouver Island: hiking in a rainforest, March 27, 2019.

More often than not, March has done its lion- like best but has meekly disappeared by the time April arrives. Although we need a coolish, slower spring in order to facilitate our continued drought recovery – and to mitigate forest fires, too – there’s no reason why some sun and blue skies can’t be a part of that.

Penticton: May azaleas, 2023.

Happy Leap Year. It’s much better than the last one.

31 thoughts on “Of Lions, Lambs and Leap Years”

  2. We don’t get too many lions in England – the media here think it’s extreme weather if a few trash cans blow over 😂. Last time we had a leap year day we were on the Mekong River, hearing about the growing crisis but still with no idea of what would hit us a couple of weeks later.

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    1. Hahaha. 😊 Most of my “lion” photos come from the Northwest Territories (above 60° north latitude) where roaring occurs on a regular basis and a lamb-like departure means that it’s sunny and has warmed up to -10C!

      We were in the Dominican Republic for a beach holiday at the beginning of March, 2020 when I watched an announcement from our PM on my cell advising all Canadians “to come home immediately.” I’ve never forgotten it. We kept hoping that somewhere, somehow, the information was wrong or it was a false alarm. I don’t think anyone could anticipate what was about to happen.

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  3. Pingback: February 29th: Remember The Last One? % - The Hungry Travellers The Hungry Travellers

  5. It is always good to recall past springs as we wonder which one we will get this time. Our lion roared through this past Sunday/Monday. Looks like our cold spell will be with us for the rest of this week, but gradually warm up next. Happy Thursday Lynette. Allan

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    1. Thanks, Allan.
      It has definitely been cooler and really, really windy over the last few days but it never did get as bad as predicted. Last night we had major rain – buckets and buckets! I thought we might have to build an ark.
      Yes, it seems that your lion has gone roaring through and maybe soon you’ll just be getting nice spring showers going forward!

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  9. Lovely set of pictures. It’s kind of hard to believe that the pandemic started about four years ago. I’m so glad things have changed … and that we’re also enjoying warmer weather this winter.

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    1. Thank you very much, Linda.

      I agree – hard to believe the pandemic start (here) was almost four years ago. At the time it felt like it might be endless; so happy it’s over. The February/March snowstorms through the west have skipped us, thankfully. I hope it stay s that way! 🤞

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          1. In our province, not a peep is said about it, and no one pushes about vaccinations. Surgeries are being canceled that need ICU beds because Covid patients are in them. But not a word.

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